There the family waited for six hours for Kirkness to see a doctor. The 28-year-old was in agony the entire time — one of flesh-eating disease's key symptoms is excruciating pain.

After staff diagnosed her with the invasive streptococcal infection necrotizing fasciitis, a.k.a flesh-eating disease, they rushed her to Health Sciences Centre where a team was assembled to address her condition.

"It was scary but I tried putting on a brave face," Kirkness said. "I was keeping myself calm."

She was greeted by more than a dozen staff members and swept away for assessments after arriving at HSC. Her mom sat in the waiting room and recited the Lord's Prayer.

During the first surgery, doctors removed her right arm and bottom half of her left leg, where the flesh-eating bacteria had also begun to fester. After the surgery Kirkness's organs began to shut down and she was put on life support.

"It was just horrible to see my mom ... she had a swollen face," said Chaz Kirkness, her 11-year-old son.

The dire news spread to family in The Pas who came to Winnipeg to support her mother, Loretta Kirkness.

"They said they didn't expect her to survive that night," Loretta said.

The next day doctors became concerned her daughter's remaining leg showed signs of infection.

They asked if she wanted to amputate the other leg or just "let her go," Loretta remembers.

"There was no decision, we said, 'No, amputate that leg ... we choose life. We don't want her to go.'"

Manitoba sees 12-20 flesh-eating infections a year

Kirkness said she understands now a strep throat infection led to the flesh-eating disease.

Both infections are caused by the same group A streptococcus bacteria.

"It's the strain type that determines what ultimately happens," said Dr. John Embil, medical director of the infection prevention and control unit at Health Sciences Centre. "The problem is we don't know what strain it is until long after the fact."

About the Author

Laura Glowacki is a reporter based in Winnipeg. Before moving to Manitoba in 2015, she worked as an associate producer for CBC's Metro Morning in Toronto. Find her on Twitter @glowackiCBC and reach her by email at laura.glowacki@cbc.ca.